Synopsis

Plot

The episode starts with Gumball bragging about Penny at the dinner table at home, much to Darwin's annoyance. Then Gumball gets an e-mail and, hoping it will be Penny, he rushes upstairs only to discover it is a chain letter from someone named The Snatcher, which says if he doesn't forward that e-mail to ten people he will be cursed. First, he will lose his money, then his friends, and then his family. Then that night, he will show his face in the mirror and with his long, cold claws, he will rip his spirit away from him. Gumball wants to delete the e-mail, but Darwin tells him to forward it. Gumball doesn't listen to him and deletes it anyway.

The next day in the school bus, Gumball and Darwin debate about various legendary things such as Bigfoot, horoscopes and telepathy. In the cafeteria, Gumball appears to have no money on him. Darwin asks if he lost all his money but Gumball denies it while digging into his pockets, only to pull out his underwear. Rocky then says that they can't eat the food if they can't pay. The brothers sit at the table and eat his underwear. Darwin says that it is the curse and that The Snatcher took all of his money. The skeptical Gumball asks Carrie to disprove Darwin of the Snatcher's existence. Carrie is shocked and teleports away after taking a close look at Gumball. The frightened Darwin tells Gumball that even Carrie is afraid of the curse, but Gumball says she is merely shocked by the fact that they're eating underwear.

In Miss Simian's class, Gumball and Penny flirt with each other with gestures. Gumball whispers to Darwin to tell her a romantic compliment. Darwin passes the message to Leslie, who passes it to Banana Joe, who then passes it to Carmen, who finally delivers the message to Penny. But the message that is delivered is that Gumball called Penny fat, to which the enraged Penny and Gumball’s friends respond by throwing their school supplies at Gumball.

Gumball and Darwin walk home dejectedly. Gumball admits to Darwin that he was right about the curse. Gumball then hopes that their family is still there. They walk into the house only to find it empty. In desperation, they go to Mrs. Jötunheim for help. She agrees to make them a potion to defend them against The Snatcher's curse, but says that she'll also need assistance and sends Gumball to get the required ingredients. Darwin then asks her who The Snatcher is. She tells him the story that the Snatcher was once a mortal man who fell in love with a ghost. Through the use of a forbidden book, he was able to touch her physically. However, the price for this was a cursed life. He now floats in limbo, trapped behind mirrors, becoming more lonely each day.

As Gumball returns with the ingredients, Mrs. Jötunheim mixes it into her cauldron and gives them a mug with a potion in it. She tells them to throw it at The Snatcher when he appears. Back at their house, they move in cautiously. Then they hear the door open, and Anais, Richard, and Nicole come in with food. In surprise, Gumball splashes the potion on Richard's face. Seeing that their family is still there, Darwin and Gumball are relieved and are convinced that The Snatcher is not real, and Gumball dances in Darwin’ face. Suddenly, The Snatcher reveals himself when he takes Anais, Nicole and Richard with him, emerging through mirrors/mirror-like surfaces. Carrie teleports to them with the Forbidden Book to help and says that the book has the solution to stop The Snatcher. She reveals that The Snatcher is her father. Gumball tries to escape, but The Snatcher tries to take him and attacks them. They take cover behind a couch where Carrie says that they need to summon him, expose him to the first light of dawn, and then smash the mirror with the forbidden book to break the spell.

After Darwin suggests using the Forbidden Book to defend themselves, Gumball takes the book and unwittingly sacrifices his youth to cast a spell to fast-forward to dawn. Darwin tries to make Gumball eternally beautiful, but ends up losing his life. After this, Gumball sacrifices his body to resurrect Darwin. They then head to the attic to summon The Snatcher in a big mirror there. Gumball conjures up The Snatcher, and they expose him to the dawn's light, forcing him back into the mirror. Carrie smashes the Forbidden Book at the mirror which frees Anais, Richard, Nicole and Carrie’s dad.

Now free of the curse, Vladus reunites with his daughter. He and Carrie attempt to hug, but Vladus goes through her and falls out of the window, killing him. He then returns as a ghost, and they at last give each other a long embrace. The rest of the Wattersons arrive and watch Carrie's reunion with her father with happiness. Gumball starts bragging about his relationship with Penny, much to the annoyance of his family.

Magical Help

Mrs. Jotunheim: Eye of a tiger… [Takes out a small bottle of green liquid] …and just the tiniest drop-

Darwin: Hi!

Mrs. Jotunheim: AHH!

[She drops the whole bottle in surprise. There is an explosion]

Mrs. Jotunheim: Yes, I can try to make a potion to defend you against The Snatcher's curse. But I will need assistance.

[Gumball whistles. He is shown dressed up as a wizard]

Gumball: 'Sup wizards!

Mrs. Jotunheim: [Groans] Go get me these ingredients.

[Gumball takes a list of ingredients from Mrs. Jotunheim]

Gumball: Abracad-okay.

[He twirls, and accidentally knocks over the cauldron, spilling its contents. There is another explosion]

Mrs. Jotunheim: [Coughs] Without twirling this time!

[Gumball walks away]

Darwin: Mrs. Jotunheim, who is The Snatcher guy?

Mrs. Jotunheim: There once was a young man, a mortal man who fell in love with a beautiful ghost after seeing her in the mirror.

[As she continues, some images from the story are formed in her cauldron]

Mrs. Jotunheim: All he wanted was to kiss her just once. In the forbidden book, he found an incantation. It allowed the living to touch a ghost. The price for this: a cursed life. Now, his spirit floats in limbo, trapped behind mirrors. Everyday day, he's becoming more lonely, more angry, looking for someone to take his place.

[A large plume of green smoke with an evil face forming on it emerges from the cauldron. As the smoke grows, Gumball and Darwin don't take cover, and instead cover brace themselves. Mrs. Jotunheim comes back and puts out the smoke with a fire extinguisher]

Mrs. Jotunheim: What are you looking at, you dumb trolls! Couldn't you see it was on fire? When The Snatcher comes for you through the mirror, throw this at him.

[She reaches into the cauldron, and takes out a mug with green liquid in it. It is smoking and its rim is covered with green grime]

Gumball: Uh…

Mrs. Jotunheim: Sorry, I haven't done the dishes.

At Home

[Gumball and Darwin enter their home, Gumball holding the mug. As they walk silently, the door slams shut. Gumball gasps]

[Gumball throws the liquid of the mug at Richard. Richard starts screaming in panic. Then he abruptly calms down, and tastes the liquid]

Richard: Actually, it's not that bad. What's in it?

Gumball: You don't wanna know.

Darwin: Well what are we gonna do now when The Snatcher comes?

Gumball: It doesn't matter, they're here! All this snatcher stuff was baloney. Oh man, I thought you guys were gone forever.

Anais: It sure felt like it.

Nicole: [Sigh] Your father was banned from the chicken shack, so we had to go out of town to get some.

Richard: Well, they shouldn't say "All you can eat" if they don't mean it.

Nicole: Richard, you ate a chair.

[They walk to the table. Gumball stares smugly at Darwin]

Darwin: [Sigh] Go on, say it.

Gumball: Say what?

Darwin: "I told you so".

Gumball: I'm gonna do another dance first.

[Gumball dances around Darwin]

Darwin: I'm glad you're taking this seriously.

The Snatcher

Nicole: Could you pass me a wing please?

Richard: Sure.

Darwin: Hey guys, leave some for us.

[Suddenly, there is a green eerie light. The Snatcher's hands emerge from the glass around and snatch Nicole, Anais and Richard. He drag them into the glass (Richard into a window; Nicole and Anais into separate pictures). Before being taken completely by The Snatcher, Richard struggles to eat some more before being completely taken away. Gumball and Darwin watch in horror. Then The Snatcher himself reappears in a picture, and growls at them before disappearing again. After a moment of silence, Carrie teleports to them with the Forbidden Book. Gumball and Darwin scream in surprise]

Carrie: Calm down! Calm down! When I saw you this morning, I recognized The Snatcher's curse. So I went to the underworld to retrieve the forbidden book. It has the solution. The only problem is that we have to wait until the sun rises.

Gumball: Wait. How come you know so much about all this?

Carrie: There once was a young man, a mortal man who fell in love with a beautiful—

Gumball: Yeah, yeah thanks. We know.

Carrie: Did you know that the young man and the ghost had a child?

Darwin: Egh, a zom-baby.

Carrie: Uh...that child was me.

[Gumball and Darwin suck in their breath]

Gumball: Alright, what do we do?

Carrie: We survive.

Gumball: [Walks to the door] I've got a much better idea: how 'bout we bail?

[The house starts shaking. The Snatcher's face emerges from the door. Gumball turns to his side to see The Snatcher. At once, The Snatcher disappears. Gumball turns away, and The Snatcher emerges again. After turning to his side, he disappears. Gumball turns away again, then quickly turns to his side]

Gumball: Aha!

[The Snatcher's face emerges and scares Gumball. As he catches his breath, The Snatcher comes out of a nearby picture, and tries to snatch him]

Gumball: Ah! So let me get this straight: that poltergeist creep is your dad?

Carrie: Yes, and I would appreciate it if you stopped calling him names, and treat him with the respect he deserves.

[Darwin walks to The Snatcher, and holds a fin out as if to shake hands]

Darwin: Glad to finally meet you, sir.

[Gumball pulls him away just as The Snatcher pounces]

Darwin: He seems to have a few issues.

Carrie: It's not his fault. He's been turned evil by loneliness.

[Gumball is knocked down on a table. The Snatcher emerges from the TV. Darwin quickly takes the remote, and switches the TV on. This makes The Snatcher disappear, but the TV shows the shopping channel]

Man (on TV): ...Ten dollars. Ten dollars, today only...

Gumball: Dude, I think I'd prefer a life of damnation in limbo rather than having to watch that.

Darwin: Yeah, fair enough.

[Darwin switches off the TV, and The Snatcher reemerges. They all take cover behind the sofa]

Gumball: What are we gonna do about him?

Carrie: The book says we summon him by calling his name five times. When he appears in the mirror and the first light of dawn strikes it, you smash him with the book and break the spell.

Darwin: Why do we have to call his name five times?

Carrie: Duh. That's how you summon all ghosts.

Darwin: Really? Carrie Carrie Carrie Carrie Carrie!

[Carrie reappears at Darwin's side. Gumball and Darwin laugh]

Gumball: Carrie Carrie Carrie Carrie Carrie!

[Carrie reappears at Gumball's side. Gumball and Darwin laugh again. Then Carrie possesses Gumball, and makes him slap himself. She comes out shortly]

Carrie: We done here?

Gumball: [Nods]

Darwin: Why don't we just use the book to defend ourselves?

Gumball: Great idea!

[The Snatcher hops from one mirror-like surface to another. He appears near the three of them. Gumball takes the book, and uses it to hit The Snatcher. Then they go to the kitchen]

Darwin: No, I mean use the spells inside.

Carrie: Don't. The price to pay is too high!

Gumball: Oh we don't have a choice! There, a time traveling spell. Let's just go to through the night. Tempus Fugit!

[The night fast-forwards to dawn]

Gumball: Ha ha! In your fa- [Grows old] aaace...

[Gumball walks to the microwave, and looks at himself]

Gumball: [Old man voice] Ah! What happened?

[Carrie pulls him out just as The Snatcher emerges from the microwave]

Carrie: The price for that spell was your youth.

Darwin: Don't worry. There must be something to fix that. There! Beautio Eterno!

[Gumball's wrinkles fade away, pulling up his face and giving him a disfigured smile]

Gumball: How do I look?

Carrie: Eternally surprised.

Gumball: Look out!

[The Snatcher's arm emerges from the microwave again. Before it can grab Darwin, the latter shatters to pieces]

Gumball: What happened?

Carrie: The price for eternal beauty is his life!

Gumball: What? Hold on. Resurectio Fortis!

[Darwin reassembles. The Snatcher hides again because of the dawn's light]

Carrie: Come on! The sun's about to come up.

Gumball: Wait! There's a big mirror in the attic. [Body disintegrates only leaving his head]

[The Snatcher emerges from the mirror. Then the window in the attic is opened, exposing The Snatcher to the sunlight. He writhes in the light, and retreats to the mirror. Carrie throws the book at him and breaks the glass. This frees Anais, Nicole and Richard (who all emerge from mirrors and mirror-like surfaces). Then a portal opens up in the broken attic mirror. Someone comes out]

Carrie: Dad? It's me. Do you recognize me?

Vladus: How could I not recognize my beautiful girl. Thank you for setting me free.

[They run to each other to hug. But the moment is ruined when Carrie phases through her dad, and he falls out of the window. This kills him]

Carrie: Dad! Is he okay?

Gumball: [Inhales sharply] No no no no no no no. Uh… no no no no.

[Just as they are about to walk away, Carrie's father phases through the floor, revealing that he himself has turned to a ghost. He and her daughter share a hug. The rest of the Wattersons arrive at the scene]